SAN DIEGO — It's another beautiful day in paradise, where hopefully there won't be any lineup card mishaps tonight. Then again, based on what we learned last night, the Nationals could write in Stephen Strasburg's name as their starting pitcher and not be penalized for it.

I don't think Jim Riggleman will be trying any shenanigans like that. If anything, I have a hunch he'll proofread tonight's lineup card about 10 times, then ask every one of his coaches, players, trainers and clubhouse attendants to do the same before handing it over to Tim Tschida.

Assuming no mistakes, the Nats will send J.D. Martin to the mound for the first time this season. The right-hander, who was recalled from Class AAA to take over Scott Olsen's rotation slot, went 2-1 with a 2.99 ERA in six starts at Syracuse. As we saw last year when he was up, Martin generally keeps his team in the game. He doesn't blow you away at all, but more often than not, he seems to get the job done.

No real surprises in the rest of the lineup. Ian Desmond gets the night off, probably more because Riggleman wants to get Adam Kennedy into the lineup than a real desire to rest Desmond.

Wow. Somehow that 50 really jumped out at me. Hard to believe we're nearly one-third of the way through the season. Who seriously thought we'd have the record that we do now back in spring training? I sure didn't (and, no, I didn't think it would be better ;-)). Go, Nats!

I don't have a major problem sitting Desmond tonight. Latos is a nasty, nasty righty and I believe that sitting Desmond once a week against righties isn't a major problem. I wish that we could abandon the Guzman can't hit in the two hole logic, though. Kennedy has been putting together the professional at bats that would be better in front of the boppers. Plus Guzman's splits are much weaker against right handed pitchers. It will be interesting to see how Guzman and Kennedy perform tonight, though, and if there are any defensive plays that Guzman misses that Desmond likely would have made.

Well, if you're gonna sit Desmond, tonight's the night to do it. As Souldrummer said above, Latos is a nasty righty. Desmond is hitting just .260/.301/.365 against righties this year. Also, Martin tends to be a flyball pitcher, mitigating (somewhat) the gaping hole we're gonna have up the middle with Guzman at SS.I'm a huge hater on Guzman, but even I've shut up about him, for now… When he gets hot, he's fun to watch (at bat, not on the field)

Here's a random question that has nothing to do with tonight's game:Does anyone know the music played for every player in the Nats' lineup when they step to the plate? Dunn gets "Sister Christian" some of the time, and Willingham sometimes has the Outfield's "Your Love." Desmond gets a re-mix of "Sunglasses at Night." Anyone know an easy way to find what the others are? As for changes to the lineup–Desmond, Morgan, etc–I swore that once my prayers were answered and Bruney was cut I would never ask for anything else…

Totally neat Grandstander! Now if Mark could put some sound to the Insider, each time a respective batter gets in the box, we'd have it knocked.Nyjer needs some serious flyball practice–he must have missed his Little League drills.

Spike, Rule 10.16 (c) and (d)(c) No run shall be earned when scored by a runner whose presence on the bases is prolonged by an error, if such runner would have been put out by errorless play.(d) No run shall be earned when the scoring runner's advance has been aided by an error, a passed ball or defensive interference or obstruction, if in the official scorer’s judgment the run would not have scored without the aid of such misplay.So the runner who reached on Kennedy's error, and all subsequent runs, are not earned, because that would have been the third out.

Just wondering, but I don't think that Nyjer knows how to listen and take instruction. The fielding stuff is pretty basic. He has the best in Rick Eckstein for a batting instructor. What he's doing on the bases is anybody's guess! If you can't do any or all of that stuff, then it's time to change your name to Lastings Milledge, and play for the Pirates.

Seriously, I am not a Nyjer hater/basher…but he sure is making it look like we traded Lastings Milledge for Lastings Milledge. He needs to exorcise Tony Plush and get Nyjer Morgan back in the game.BTW – very impressive Granderstander.

I just listened to Nyjer's locker room talk to reporters after the game and it did not increase my confidence in him. Asked if he were having problems going back on the ball, he said with a mystified look "Problems? No, I'm not having problems going back. I'm right there. The ball just isn't going into my glove." Well, gee, isn't that the whole point!!! He was asked about his leaps that continuously misjudge the ball direction and he seemed not to grasp the point. He doesn't see it as a problem. I wonder if he ever looks at tape of some of his misadventures in the outfield?